Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:56

Chasing Yesterday targets Desi Arnaz Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Chasing Yesterday wins the Anoakia Stakes by a half-length last Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Chasing Yesterday, a 2-year-old half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, will be pointed to the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar next month after winning her first stakes in the $77,500 Anoakia Stakes last Sunday at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday that Chasing Yesterday will run in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies on Nov. 12. He said she is not a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

“The Desi Arnaz will be her next start,” Baffert said.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:46

Richard's Boy prepping for BC Turf Sprint in California Flag

Barbara D. Livingston
Stormy Liberal (center) topped a Peter Miller-trained exacta with Richard's Boy (inside) in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday at Turf Sprint.

ARCADIA, Calif. – A little more than two weeks before the Breeders’ Cup races at Churchill Downs, trainer Peter Miller hopes to have four runners in the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 3.

Miller will know more about his team by the end of the weekend.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Richard’s Boy is scheduled to start in the $100,000 California Flag Stakes for California-breds at five furlongs on turf as a prep for the BC Turf Sprint. Richard’s Boy was second by a head in the 2017 BC Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November, two weeks after finishing second in the California Flag.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:46

Homebred General Quarters colt honors McCarthy's memory

Barbara D. Livingston
Owner/trainer Tom McCarthy walks with General Quarters at Churchill Downs in 2009.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tom McCarthy is gone but not forgotten. The late owner and trainer of General Quarters, the storybook winner of the 2009 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is being remembered through a 2-year-old colt named Tom’s Last General, who runs here Friday in the third race.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:36

Amy's Challenge ready to roll in Raven Run

Coady Photography
Amy's Challenge (No. 6) will be seeking her first stakes victory since January in Saturday's Raven Run Stakes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Amy’s Challenge has the speed to extricate herself from post 1 in the Raven Run Stakes. But then what?

“I know she’s running against some fast horses,” said Mac Robertson, who will send out the speedy Amy’s Challenge in the 20th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run on Saturday at Keeneland. “But we’re pretty fast, too, and I really like the way she’s been training here. We ought to be good to go.”

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:26

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Norm Casse's next milestone in sight

Coady Photography
Belle Laura gave trainer Norm Casse his first win with a victory in a Sept. 20 maiden race at Churchill.

Six months ago, trainer Norm Casse had launched his stable and was on the verge of his first win. On Nov. 2, Casse hopes to have his first starter in a Breeders’ Cup race with Belle Laura in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs.

That would be a heck of an occasion for a first graded stakes win.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 14:20

Breeders' Cup Classic: Familiar faces in the lineup

Barbara D. Livingston
West Coast has had five workouts since returning to training, including this five-furlong work last week.

Same time, next year.

That could be the theme for as many as five runners in this year’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, which is looking as though it very well could have a maximum field of 14 when it is run Nov. 3.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 13:36

Gelner seeking stakes double with Taylor's Spirit, Yes Gorgeous

Ann Switalski/Hodges Photography
Taylor's Spirit wins the Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 2.

Trainer Scott Gelner will attack the first two stakes races of the Delta Downs meet on Friday night with a pair of leading contenders in Taylor’s Spirit and Yes Gorgeous.

Taylor’s Spirit, a multiple stakes winner, could go favored in the $50,000 My Trusty Cat for 2-year-old fillies. The seven-furlong race will be run around two turns. Others set to start in the seven-horse field include the stakes-placed runners Cover Charge, Navy Regatta, and Flatoutandfoxy.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 13:30

Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: Paved to test deeper waters

Benoit Photo
Paved, winner of the Honeymoon, will take on older fillies and mares in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs that is shaping up light on grass runners from California, as well as among 3-year-olds, Paved could represent an exception on both fronts in the Nov. 3 BC Filly and Mare Turf.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 13:00

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Lone Sailor getting a shot

Dustin Orona Photography
Lone Sailor (No. 5) will enter the BC Dirt Mile off a breakthrough victory in the Oklahoma Derby.

Last year, the Oklahoma Derby produced the winner of the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

This year, it could happen again.

Lone Sailor, who captured the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby in a three-way photo Sept. 30, is being considered for the Dirt Mile, trainer Tom Amoss said Monday. The interest in the race comes a year after Battle of Midway parlayed a runner-up finish at Remington Park into Breeders’ Cup paydirt at Del Mar.

Wed, 10/17/2018 - 12:56

Breeders' Cup Turf: Enable tops strong European contingent

Tuesday’s announcement that Enable, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 7 in Paris, will start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, gives the $4 million race a confirmed odds-on favorite.

As of Wednesday, Enable was as short as 4-7 in future-book betting with British and Irish bookmakers to win the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles.

Judging from history, the brilliant filly may be worth opposing.